Electrolytic apparatus.



APPLICATION FILED OUTA, 1898.

N0 MODEL.

.v z A m WITNESSES: INVENTOR I 42% M g ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PatentedNovember 8, 1904.

PATENT ()FFICE.

BELGIUM, ASSIGNOR TO THE SOLVAY SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OFELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,230, dated November8, 1904.

Application filed October 4, 1898 T0 (LZZ 1117x0112, it may concern..-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR BRICHAUX, a subject of the King of Belgium,residing at Brussels, Belgium, have invented a new and usefulElectrolyticApparatus, (for which I have filed applications for foreignLetters Patents as follows: Belgium, No. 134,176, dated March 5, 1898;Germany, No. S, 11,224/75, dated March 18,1898; Great Britain,No. 7,171, dated March 28, 1898; Russia, No. 1,603, dated May 1/16, 1898;France, No. 266,675, dated June 14, 1898; Switzerland, No. 18,984, datedJuly29, 1898; Austria, dated August 19, 1898; and Hungary, No. 12,055,dated August 25, 1898,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the production of an electrolyticapparatus of the class set forth in my pending application, Serial No.692,585, and has for its object the production of an apparatus for thedesired purpose which reduces to a minimum the liability ofrecombination of the products separated by the current; and to this endthe invention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangementof the component parts of'an electrolytic apparatus, as hereinafterfully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In describing this invention reference is bad to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which like lettersindicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved electrolyticapparatus. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a horizontal sectional view of one end of Fig. 1, showing thetransverse partitions.

My electrolytic apparatus comprises in its organization a receptacle Afor receiving the electrolyte and means for maintaining layers of theelectrolyte of unequal density, a a, one above the other within thereceptacle. Said receptacle A is of any desirable form, size, andconstruction, being usually rectangular and of greater length thanheight. A suitable cathode (0 as mercury, is supported upon the bottomof the receptacle A beneath the layer a of greater density. An anode, asconductors Serial No. 692,586. (No model.)

(0 is arranged within the layer a of lesser density, and said cathodeand anode are connected to the conductors to a of an electric circuit.

The means for maintaining layers of the electrolyte of unequal density,a 0, within the receptacle A preferably consists of partitions B B BB,chambers C C, and conduits 0 c c 0?, connecting the receptacle A andthe chambers C C; The partitions B B are supported within the receptacleA between opposite walls a thereof and the adjacent sides of the anodes(0 with their outer faces separated from the inner faces of saidopposite walls of the receptacle and their lower edges arranged abovethe bottom of said receptacle and the lower layer a of the electrolyte.Said partitions may be fixed. in position, but are generally connectedto suitable adjusters, as nuts 6, for raising and lowering thepartitions in order to regulate the depth of the lower layera of theelectrolyte, which layer preferably fills the portion of the receptacleA, arranged beneath the partitions B B and above the cathode a Thepartitions B B are supported within the receptacle A between thepartitions B B and the adjacent sides of the anode (4 with their outerfaces separated from the adjacent faces of the partitions B B and theirlower edges arranged above the lower edges of said partitions B B. Thepartitions B B may also be fixed in position, although they aregenerally connected to suitable adjusters, as nuts Z), for raising andlowering the same.

The chambers C C contain the material to be electrolyzed and aregenerally of unequal size. The conduits c 0' communicate between thepartitions B B and the walls a a of the receptacle at points above thelower edges of said partitions, with opposite sides of the portion ofthe receptacle inclosing the lower layer a of the electrolyte. Saidconduit 0 opens from the chamber C and serves to conduct a solution ofthe material to be electrolyzed to the receptacle A for forming thelower layer a of the electrolyte. The conduit 0 is generally providedwith a pump or other suction device 0 discharges into the chamber C, and

from the receptacle A. into the chamber C.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by The conduits 0 c communicate between the LettersPatent, is-

partitions P/ B B B at points above the lower 1. An electrolyticapparatus comprising a edges of said partitions, with opposite sidesreceptacle for receiving the electrolyte and of the portion of thereceptacle inclosing the electrodes, separated partitions supportedupper layer a" of the electrolyte. Said conduit a? is connected to thechamber 0 for conducting the upper layer a of the electrolyte to thereceptacle A, and the conduit 0 is provided with a pump or other suctiondevice o and discharges into the chamber C for conducting said upperlayer of the electrolyte from the receptacle A into the chamber 0. Theconduits c c 0 c and the pumps or other suction devices connected therto effect a positive circulation of the separate layers of theelectrolyte and add greatly to the efficiency of my electrolyticapparatus. It is obvious, however, that any other suitable means foreffecting a positive circulation of said layers may be used instead ofthe conduits c 0 c 0 The operation of my electrolytic apparatus is asfollows: The electrolyte is divided into upper and lower layers ofunequal density, the lower layer being maintained in contact with themercury or other cathode and being almost or entirely saturated with thematerial to be electrolyzed, as an alkaline chlorid, and the upper layerbeing maintained in contact with the lower layer and the anode andimpregnated with a less amount of said material. The dense lower layerserves the purpose of a diaphragm without occasioning the inconvenienceattending the use of an ordinary solid diaphragm and remains practicallyfree from the material, such as chlorin, being liberated at the anode,since said lower layer in contact with the mercury or other cathode issaturated with the material to be electrolyzed as an alkaline chloridand cannot readily absorb any liberated chlorin, and since said lowerlayer being in contact with the mercury during the passage of thecurrent and being maintained in circulation as a distinctlayer by thepartitions B B and the conduits c 0 does not perceptibly mix with theupper layer of lesser density, which surrounds the anode. Said upperlayer readily absorbs the liberated chlorin, owing to comparativelysmall amount of the material to be electrolized as alkalin chlorid insolution therein and is maintained as a distinct layer by the partitionsB B B B and the conduits 0 0. Recombination of the material as chlorinliberated at the anode with the material as sodium or potassiumliberated at the cathode is thus prevented.

The construction and operation of my electrolytic apparatus will now bereadily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and theaccompanying drawings, and it will also be understood that theconstruction and arrangement of its component parts may be more or lessvaried without departing from the spirit of my invention.

within the receptacle between opposite walls thereof and having theirouter faces separated from the inner faces of said opposite walls andtheir lower edges arranged above the bottom of the receptacle, andadditional separated partitions supported within the receptacle betweenthe first partitions and having their outer faces separated from theadjacent faces of the first partitions and their lower edges arrangedabove the lower edges of said first partitions, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

2. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes, separated partitions supported within thereceptacle between opposite walls thereof and having their outer facesseparated from the inner faces of said opposite walls and their loweredges arranged above the bottom of the receptacle, additional separatedpartitions supported within the receptacle be tween the first partitionsand having their outer faces separated from the adjacent faces of thefirst partitions and their lower edges arranged above the lower edges ofsaid first partitions, and an adjust-er for raising and lowering one ofthe partitions, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes arranged one above the other, partitionswithin the receptacle, and means cooperating with the partitions formaintaining layers of the electrolyte of unequal density within thereceptacle one above the other and in contact with each other and theelectrodes, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4:. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes arranged one above the other, separatedsubstantially upright partitions arranged within the receptacle andhaving their outer faces separated from the inner faces of thecontiguous walls of the receptacle and lower edges arranged above thebottom of the receptacle, and inlet and outlet conduits communicatingwith the receptacle between the outer faces of the partitions and theinner faces of the contiguous walls of the receptacle, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

5. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes, separated partitions supported within thereceptacle between opposite walls thereof and having their lower edgesarranged above the bottom of the receptacle for maintaining layers ofthe electrolyte of unequal density within the receptacle and in contactwith each other, and conduits communicating with the receptacle betweenthe partitions and said opposite walls of the receptacle at points abovethe lower edges of the partitions, substantially as and for the purposespecifiec.

6. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes, separated partitions supported within thereceptacle between opposite walls thereof and having their outer facesseparated from the inner faces of said walls and their lower edgesarranged above the bottom of the receptacle, additional separatedpartitions supported within the receptaclebetween the first partitionsand having their outer faces separated from the adjacent faces of thefirst partitions and their lower edges arranged above the lower edges ofsaid first partitions, and conduits opening into the receptacle betweenthe additional partitions and the first partitions at points above thelower edges of said partitions, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

7. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes, separated partitions supported within thereceptacle between opposite walls thereof and having their outer facesseparated from the inner faces of said walls and their lower edgesarranged above the bottom of the receptacle,additional separatedpartitions supported within the receptacle between the first partitionsand having their outer faces separated from the adjacent faces of thefirst partitions and their lower edges arranged above the lower edges ofsaid first partitions, conduits opening into the receptacle between thefirst partitions and said opposite Walls of the receptacle at pointsabove the lower edges of the first partitions, and additional conduitsopening into the receptacle between the additional partitions and thefirst partitions at points above the lower edges of said partitions,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes, separated partitions supported within thereceptacle between opposite walls thereof and having their lower edgesarranged above the bottom of the receptacle, a chamber containing thematerial to be electrolyzed and communicating with the receptaclebetween one of the partitions and one of said opposite walls of thereceptacle above the lower edge of the partition, and a conduitdischarging into the chamber and opening from the receptacle between theother partition and the adjacent wall of the receptacle at a point abovethe lower edge of said other partition, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

9. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes, separated partitions supported within thereceptacle between opposite walls thereof and having their outer facesseparated from the inner faces of said walls and their lower edgesarranged above the bottom of the receptacle,additional separatedpartitions supported within the receptacle between the first partitionsand having their outer faces separated from the adjacent faces of thefirst partitions and their lower edges arranged above the lower edges ofsaid first partitions, chambers containing the material to beelectrolyzed, conduits communicating with one of the chambers andopening into the receptacle between the first partitions and saidopposite walls of the receptacle at points above the lower edges of thefirst partitions, and additional conduits communicating with the otherchamber and opening into the receptacle between the additionalpartitions and the former partitions at points above the lower edges ofthe additional partitions, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence oftwo attesting witnesses, at Brussels, Belgium, this 1st day ofSeptember, 1898.

ARTHUR BRICHAUX.

Witnesses:

J. S. FURsTENHoFF, GREGORY PHELAN.

